Warframe’s next major update blends Blade Runner, The Sopranos, and film noir in a whole new solar system, coming later this year
Digital Extremes has closed this year's TennoCon Live event with a roughly 30-minute reveal trailer for Warframe's next major update, Warframe: Tau, which is due to launch at some point later this year. The update takes players beyond the familiar Origin system into the new Tau system and its ringed city of Fornax, a locale drawing on Blade Runner, Boardwalk Empire, and The Sopranos, and it tackles themes of addiction and exploitation head-on. It marks a notable departure for the long-running game, which has occupied the Origin system for the past 12 years.
The demo follows Brysko, a new detective Warframe voiced by Matthew Mercer, equipped with a Core Cracker revolver, throwable trading cards, and a dog sidekick. Fornax features oily black rain that appears to revive the dead and scar those exposed to it, alongside Sentients abusing an organic drug-like substance called The Bloom, set against a luxurious casino with flying cars, skyscrapers, and a jazz singer. Creative director Rebecca Ford described Fornax as an open-world space "in-between" 2017's Plains of Eidolon and more modern updates, launching with two regions, new mission types, a card mini-game, and a fresh spin on the Steel Path difficulty toggle. Ford said the addiction theme reflects the London, Ontario team's real-world experiences, framing it as "acknowledging instead of ignoring."
In short
- Warframe: Tau launches later this year with a new solar system.
- Noir city Fornax explores addiction, drawing on Blade Runner and The Sopranos.
- New detective Warframe Brysko is voiced by Matthew Mercer.
Explained simply
Warframe is a long-running free-to-play video game where players control powerful warriors in an expanding science-fiction universe. The game has been set in the Origin system for the past 12 years, with new missions, storylines, and content continuously added to this region.
Developer Digital Extremes has announced Warframe: Tau, a major new update that will take players beyond the Origin system into an entirely new region called the Tau system. The update introduces a noir-influenced setting drawing inspiration from films like Blade Runner and television dramas such as The Sopranos, whilst exploring serious themes including addiction and exploitation.
This marks a notable departure for the game after 12 years in the same setting. The update is scheduled to arrive later this year and will introduce new missions, regions, and gameplay features alongside its distinctive visual and thematic direction.
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